


Dancing Lessons

by 11tol_tsukki11



Series: Laurent King's Hogwarts Adventures [8]
Category: Harry Potter - Fandom, Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Hogwarts Mystery, Video Game: Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery - Fandom
Genre: Bisexual Disaster, Fluff and Angst, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-09
Updated: 2019-06-09
Packaged: 2020-04-23 08:06:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,673
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19146931
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/11tol_tsukki11/pseuds/11tol_tsukki11
Summary: Tulip Karasu decides to teach her close friend, Laurent King, how to dance for the Celestial Ball. However, in the middle of the lesson, a certain Slytherin steps in.





	Dancing Lessons

**Author's Note:**

> Lau and Tulip are close friends, so I wanted to write a bit with them ! This was supposed to be about friends being dorks... and then Barnaby came along... then angst came along ! Woohoo !

“If you are going to have a date for the Celestial Ball, we need to arrange something right now, Laurent King”

Lau was suddenly dragged along by Tulip, who was holding his wrist tightly. They walked through a series of hallways, only to end up in an empty, unused classroom that Lau never saw in his four years at Hogwarts. Was that Tulip’s secret hideout ? She’s got to have one, no ? You can’t just plan pranks in the Ravenclaw Common Room, or in the Dormitories with all your friends around. No, you need some place quiet and far from everyone else... and this class seemed to fit that description. For a second, he was offended that Tulip Karasu, his partner in pranks, didn’t show him that place... but it was probably her personal place, one that she goes to in order to be alone and relax. No way Lau would force himself in such a sacred space.

“Arrange what, Tulip ?”

With a single flick of her wand, all desks and chairs were pushed to the sides of the room, leaving them a large space to walk around. Lau raised an eyebrow. What on earth was Tulip planning ? She was so... unpredictable, sometimes he was almost scared. However, he could call that a good fear, one he was willing to explore if that meant he could get to know Tulip more.

The Ravenclaw girl turned to him, her hair flying from her left shoulder to the right in a bright, fire-like movement. She suddenly extended her arm towards him, as if she wanted Lau to take her hand.

“I, Tulip Karasu, am going to teach you how to dance properly”

If Lau wasn’t so stressed about the Celestial Ball, he would have laughed out loud. However, he simply... stood there, not moving, not saying anything. Tulip, teaching him how to dance ? He opened his mouth to speak, but she raised her finger.

“You heard me ! When your parents work at the Ministry of Magic, you learn how to act ‘fancy’... whether you like it or not” she said in a grimace. “Today I am going to pass down my knowledge to you. So take my hand now !”

Lau immediately understood that there was no way he could say no. He stepped closer to Tulip, and finally took her hand. Her hands were rough and calloused, result of hours and hours spent on building special pranking equipment. Sometimes, you had to tweak your Dungbombs just a little bit. Tulip nodded.

“Good, you’re not arguing. Now, are you going to ask Penny or Barnaby out ?”

Lau’s hand immediately left Tulip’s in a smooth ‘fwiip !’ sound.

“H-How do you know !?” he exclaimed.

“Walls have ears, Laurent King. I heard your conversation with Merula Snyde. Magnolias ? I thought she was a carnation girl... anyway. Who are you going to choose ?”

“I’d... rather not tell” Lau whispered, blushing hard.

Merula already harassed him about asking out one of them, no way Tulip is joining too. Luckily, the Ravenclaw girl seemed to understand, as she nodded and took Lau’s hand again. She probably figured out there would be other times to ask him that question.

“Alright. Put your hand on my waist”

“Your- what !?”

Now, Lau was as red as his hair. Tulip rolled her eyes, grabbed Lau’s other hand and placed it on her waist.

“My waist. And I’m putting my other hand on your shoulder- Get closer, you’re acting as if I smell like a Dungbomb. There you go, much better”

Their chests were now almost touching, and Lau was having struggles to breathe. Too close, too fast, too intense in general. Tulip was his friend, but it remained awkward still, especially in this painfully empty room.

“Ok, now pretend there’s music...”

“I can sing !” Lau exclaimed, suddenly lighting up.

After all, he had a pretty good voice. He and Merula would often sing together when they were alone in the Common Room, the acoustics were amazing. He looked at Tulip with a smile, and the girl let out a laugh.

“I’d rather have you hum, I don’t want us to get caught by Filch or Mrs Norris. Give me a smooth rhythm, ok ? Something we can dance to”

He thought for a moment, and started to hum The Waltz of the Snowflakes. Ok, it was a song for ballet, but it could fit, right ? Tulip nodded. Ok, she could work with that.

“Now, feel the rhythm, Lau King. And move along it... ow, that was my foot ! Move more smoothly... god, you have two left feet”

“Hey ! Not my fault that this is stressing me out !” Lau protested.

“Why would it stress you out ? It’s just a d-”

“Lau ? Tulip ? What are you guys doing here ?”

Lau and Tulip froze as Barnaby’s head poked through the entrance, looking at the two friends and their... interesting position. Lau’s hand on her waist, Tulip’s on his shoulder, their waists awfully close to each other. Lau couldn’t manage a proper sentence, but Tulip shrugged.

“I’m teaching Laurent King how to dance. The Celestial Ball’s coming and he can’t dance to save himself”

A flick of light suddenly passed through Tulip’s eyes. Oh no.

“How about you help him out ? I’m pretty sure you can use some of my teaching, Barnaby”

The boy beamed, immediately joining his friends.

“Oh, I’d love it ! Who do I dance with ?”

After all, Lau and Tulip were still entangled. Soon enough though, the Ravenclaw let go of her friend and smiled. Meanwhile, Lau was looking as if he was about to pass out. Oh man, this couldn’t be happening.

“You can dance with Laurent King. I’ll be watching and instructing you guys”

“Alright !”

Barnaby seemed way too excited over this, and Lau wasn’t sure if that was comforting. Ok, he was comfortable with dancing with Lau, but... what if he fucks it up ? Steps on Barnaby’s foot or something ? He was so deep in his thoughts he didn’t notice Tulip explaining Barnaby what to do, and he jumped as he suddenly felt Barnaby’s hand slide on his waist. Oh Merlin. Now, he could feel a strong fire burning in his chest. He awkwardly placed his hand on his shoulder, just like Tulip did with him. Oh man, he was strong... he then took Barnaby’s hand. Tulip smiled.

“Closer, you two”

He stepped closer.

“Closer”

Barnaby took another step. Their chests could almost touch, and Lau noticed that he wasn’t the only one blushing. Barnaby was too. Lau managed to avert his gaze from his friend and looked at Tulip, who was enjoying this way too much.

“A-And now ?”

“Now dance. I’ll hum the rhythm this time. Follow the rhythm, ok ? Barnaby, you guide Lau”

“Oh, cool ! You know, I danced once... my father threw a party when I was 10, I had to dance with a girl. Went well, but then I stepped on her foot and she slapped me”

Lau giggled softly.

“I won’t slap you if you step on my foot”

Barnaby smiled, and pulled him sightly closer, for reasons he himself couldn’t tell.

“That’s good”

Tulip started humming a song, and they danced.

 

* * *

 

“I think we broke a new record here” Lau said, giggling. “I stepped on your foot like what, 30 times ? No one’s ever done that before, I’m sure of it”

A few hours had passed, and the two boys were heading to the Slytherin Common Room. Tulip decided to stay in the empty classroom in order to plan out a few pranks, and Lau quickly found out that he wasn’t mad at her for making him dance with Barnaby. Not in the slightest. In fact, he was even hopeful. He was so gentle, so nice to him during the dance... maybe he’d want to go to the Ball with him ?

“Well, at the end you became pretty good” Barnaby said in an encouraging tone. “I was still sort of clumsy... I’ll be ridiculous at the Celestial Ball compared to you”

“No you won’t” Lau giggled, blushing sightly.

“Well, I won’t be having a date, so I won’t have to worry about dancing ! I can eat everything at the buffet instead !” Barnaby exclaimed with a smile. “Do you think there’ll be a buffet ?”

Lau’s heart sank in his chest. He didn’t want to have a date... ? Or did he ask someone and he got rejected ? He couldn’t figure out which option was worst.

“You know... I heard Penny would like to go the Ball with you. You should ask her out” Barnaby suddenly said.

Of course. Lau was a fool to think even for a second that Barnaby might want to go the Ball with him... he forced a smile.

“Maybe. I... I’ll think about it, I guess”

Sure, he wanted to go with Penny. But he couldn’t ignore the part of him that urged him to ask Barnaby out already. There was, however, no way he could do it... a man liking another man, that was ridiculous, Barnaby would probably hate him. A man liking another man wasn’t normal, everyone told him that. He would be hated, bullied, harmed... he was sure of it.

They finally arrived to the Common Room, and Barnaby smiled shyly at him.

“Do you want to hang around a little ? We can... talk about the Ball. I was thinking you could help me find a buccaneer...”

A buccaneer !?

“I think you meant a boutonniere” Lau said with a weak smile. “I’d love to, but I’m pretty tired”

Lie.

“I think I should just lay down a little”

Lie.

“We’ll talk of it tomorrow, though !” Lau said with a smile.

Barnaby had a bright smile.

“O-Ok ! See you tomorrow, Lau”

He leaned towards him for a second, as if he wanted to get closer... for what ? A hug ? Maybe. But then he stopped, and simply nodded.

“Goodnight”

“Goodnight” Lau said.

The redhead went to his dormitory, ignoring Rowan’s hello, and slid under his bed’s covers without even changing.

He allowed a few tears to fall.


End file.
